A senior North Korean diplomat strongly indicated that his country has no plans to abandon nuclear weapons unconditionally, despite its agreement to return to six-party talks, Japan's NHK TV reported.
North Korea's deputy foreign minister, Kang Sok-ju, speaking to a group of reporters while passing through Beijing from Russia, instead demanded that the US lift financial sanctions against the North.
NHK quoted Kang as saying that North Korea had not tested nuclear weapons only to abandon its program and get rid of them.
"Why would we abandon nuclear weapons?" NHK quoted Kang as saying.
"Are you saying we conducted a nuclear test in order to abandon them?" Kang added.
Asked if Pyongyang planned to demand that the US lift sanctions, Kang said "of course," NHK reported.
It added that the North planned to make the demand in preparatory meetings ahead of the expected resumption of six-party talks on the North's nuclear program.
North Korea's nuclear test, carried on Oct. 9, triggered international condemnations and a series of diplomatic and economic sanctions, with Japan and the US leading the attempt to dissuade Pyongyang from continuing to seek nuclear weapons.
In September last year, the North had agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for security guarantees and aid.
It withdrew from talks two months later, protesting Washington's financial sanctions over suspected money laundering activities.
Pyongyang said early this month that it was willing to return to the talks, which some analysts believe could resume next month.
Kang was talking at Beijing's international airport on his way home from Russia, which he reportedly visited for unspecified medical treatment.
In Tokyo, government officials said that they could not immediately confirm the report but stressed that Pyongyang cannot be allowed to continue its development of nuclear weapons.
"North Korea has an obligation to give up all nuclear weapons and all existing nuclear programs," said Hiroshi Suzuki, deputy Cabinet secretary.
"The whole purpose of resuming the six-party talks is to make sure that we have tangible progress or concrete results," he said.
As shark attack survivor Mel Ismail fought the predator that severed his leg, he noticed something odd. “I saw its eye ... a big black eye,” Ismail said. “But it was winking back at me — I was trying to get my fingers in its eye and just pushing its eye as I was being dragged.” When the shark swam off, he managed to struggle back to shore, the surfer and professional firefighter said in an Australian Broadcasting Corp interview broadcast on Thursday. He was surfing at Glenfield Beach near Geraldton on Australia’s west coast when he was attacked on Sept. 14. He
BUILDUP: The report comes as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi boosts defense spending in the face of China’s military expansion and the North Korean threat French defence contractor Thales will establish a maintenance and operational support base in Japan in what is seen as the first such move by a foreign firm in the country, a report said yesterday. Thales chairman and CEO Patrice Caine told the Nikkei business daily that the base “will mark a milestone toward Thales’ long-term engagement in Japan.” It is believed to be the first time a foreign defense company has established a dedicated base in Japan for the maintenance and operation of Japanese defense equipment, the Nikkei said. It added that Thales might also expand its Japan-based business to
Halfway around the world from Russia, in a Caribbean tourism hot spot, men young and old are being lured by Moscow with tantalizing job offers, only to find themselves en route to the front lines in Ukraine. Moscow and Kyiv have recruited thousands of foreign nationals into their armies since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Moscow is accused, in some cases, of using fake job ads to hoodwink men from deprived backgrounds in Africa, Asia and Latin America into traveling to Russia and then forcing them to fight on arrival. From countries such as India, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Colombia and
Britain’s Northern Ireland secretary on Friday banned a contentious Protestant parade through a mostly Irish nationalist and Catholic district after a nearly two-week standoff. The Parades Commission, Northern Ireland’s independent body regulating contentious processions, had authorized 35 Orangemen to march silently along the mostly Irish nationalist enclave of Garvaghy Road in Portadown, without bands or supporters from 8am on Sept. 27. However, thousands blocked the procession, halting the first parade, which had been allowed along the route in almost three decades. The Orangemen have since remained at nearby Drumcree Church, demanding to complete the march, while residents maintained their protest. “I call for all
RSS